The Burning
by harmonyopc
Summary: During a brief encounter where Gaara attempts to explain desert clothing to Naruto, his body reacts in a way he doesn't expect. However, the Kazekage can't just take what he wants. Rated M for mature themes, yaoi, violence, sexuality (GaaNaru)
1. Chapter 1

"I have to wear - WHAT? There's no way you can stay cool in all that stuff! I'll burn up! Hell, I'm already burning up!" Naruto started to unzip his jacket to prove his point, but stopped himself just in time.

Without thinking, Gaara licked his lips. "You will find you begin to cool off after you sweat through the first layer."

Naruto's eyes widened. "EEW! That's gross! I mean -" he stopped as Gaara's brow arched just a fraction of a centimeter.

"The under-robe is part of Sunagakure's daily dress, in all seasons," the Kazekage continued. "As a culture of desert dwellers, we know how to efficiently deal with heat."

Naruto crossed his arms. Although he was sweltering in his jacket and pants, the idea of wearing those ridiculous robes - not to mention the headdress! - did not appeal to him. "What about the head things?" he countered. "I thought wearing something on your head was supposed to trap in the heat."

Gaara suppressed a sigh. "You will find that the head covering is preferable to the heat of the unshielded sun beating down on you. Besides, the material is light."

Naruto glared. "Then why don't you wear one?"

Gaara returned the glare. He blinked slowly.

Naruto blushed under his tan. "Oh... right. The sand."

Gaara's eye wandered from the other shinobi's flushed face, down his neck, to the vulnerable curve of the join between his neck and shoulder. Helplessly, his thoughts raced to whether the kyuubi host would growl the same as he did during battle, if Gaara bit him there...gently. He wondered what his friend's sweat tasted like, what kind of sounds he would make if Gaara were to find out. Too late, he noticed a familiar throbbing ache beginning, followed by a rush of utter panic. Sea-green eyes widened for just a fraction of a second, then quickly narrowed. He looked down at the floor, then back up at Naruto with hardened resolve. He would master himself. He would get through this.

The Kazekage picked up the clothing and stalked forward. "Have I explained the matter well enough, or would you like some assistance in getting dressed?" His hands clenched the material for just a split second before he handed it to Naruto. Suddenly, he was aware of Shukaku's painful absence, like a pulled tooth. The demon had made it so much easier to just take what he wanted ... a path that he'd become used to denying himself as the leader of his village. The self-denial had become equally familiar, a kneejerk reaction to the bloodthirsty being who had shared his mind for as long as he could remember. The brief, blood-filled moments when Gaara had given in to the murderous desire had been mere drops in the burning desert of Shukaku's thirst… and as long as he could remember, the tailed beast's thirst had been indistinguishable from his own.

Naruto, never the most observant ninja, nevertheless couldn't help picking up on Gaara's tension. "No, Kazekage, I think I can manage," he replied quietly. "Thank you," he concluded with a formal bow.

Gaara didn't move.

Naruto began to sweat harder. How often had Tsunade drummed into him that he must treat Gaara with the dignity due his rank, and not presume upon their friendship? How often had he had to wrestle with himself not to push for more time with Gaara, not to hog the precious few seconds when they were within miles of each other? And despite the history, despite how hard Naruto had worked to develop his own skills and jutsu, despite the pain he shared with Gaara of being a jinchuriki, despite everything... he was no more than a foot soldier and Gaara was a king. And clearly, he had somehow insulted all of Suna by implying that their ridiculous dress was - well - ridiculous.

And because of the further ridiculousness of rank and formality and pomp, he couldn't just dismiss Gaara. He couldn't just leave, even though Gaara was clearly angry at him.

Finally the strained silence became too much. "I'm sorry, okay?!" Naruto burst out. "It's just, we don't dress like that in Konoha and it looks weird to me and I - I didn't want to be any hotter than I already am!"

Gaara's lips quirked upward. "I can hardly see how that's possible," he said wryly before he could stop himself.

Naruto's head canted to the side, exactly like a confused dog's. "Hur?"

The Kazekage was mortified. He was grateful for his sand armor which might help somewhat conceal the blood pounding in his heart and seeping into his cheeks. "Ah ... you're already sweating, Naruto. I don't know how you could get much hotter." The explanation did nothing for Gaara's embarrassment, nor for the throbbing between his legs which he found himself completely unable to control. He needed to get out of there, and quickly.

"Oh. Well, I dunno, Gaara. I'll give it a try."

"Let me know if you need any help," Gaara breathed. _This is a friend_, he repeated inside his head. _A friend. You can't have him. He's my friend_… In his inner panic, Gaara forgot he was no longer talking to Shukaku, but to himself. The beast inside no longer wanted to tear the flesh and maim the limbs and bathe in his enemies' blood; it wanted to tear his friend's clothing, hold that precious body, crush him so close to his own chest that the rush and surge of Naruto's blood was indistinguishable from his own. But in his inner frenzy, Gaara could not tell the difference.

Still oblivious to Gaara's dilemma, and feeling somewhat freed from the awful confines of protocol, Naruto placed the folded headdress and under-robe carefully on the floor and held the long outer robe up to his shoulders, measuring it against his height, a doubtful expression on his face. He lowered it to ask Gaara another question, but the words died on his lips. Gaara was no longer facing him, but staring intently out the window, arms crossed, fingers biting into the sleeves of his Kage robes. His whole body was shaking; tension bled from his shoulders.

With a shock like wet paper across his face, Naruto realized the last time he'd seen Gaara tremble like that was… right before he turned into Shukaku during their battle so many years ago. But Shukaku was gone!

"Gaara…hey. Gaara!" Naruto took an uncertain step toward his friend, then another one. He froze for just a moment before realizing that Gaara's sand was silent. _If the sand doesn't care, it can't be THAT bad_, he rationalized.

"Gaara!" He grabbed the Kazekage's shoulders, amazed as always at the narrowness and seeming fragility of Gaara's bones. He spun his friend around roughly to face him, and was further shocked at what he saw: familiar sea-green eyes wide as if in fear or pain, mouth hanging slack, skin a sickly white beyond Gaara's usual shade of pale. Was he sick? Naruto was drawing breath to yell for the guards when he felt Gaara's hand clench over one of his own. "Naruto," he whispered hoarsely. "I need you to go."

"Gaara," Naruto growled; and at the sound of his name spoken like that, in that most beloved voice, the Kazekage's heart kicked in his chest like a horse clearing a fence. "Tell me what's wrong. Do you need help?"

"No!" Gaara stepped back and again turned away from his friend. "I'm fine. I just need to be alone for a while." A glance downward revealed that the burning in his lower body had very, very visible consequences. The expansion of his body from _inside_ wasn't something the sand perceived as a threat; he willed the sand armor to constrict him again and winced. That wasn't going to work. He couldn't bear it if Naruto saw. Or what if he already had? "Please. I'll explain later." Would he? He thought wildly. It didn't matter; the important thing was to get Naruto out of there.

The sand in Gaara's gourd began to rustle loudly. _He's serious_, Naruto thought sadly. _Well, he's still standing. I'll just have to hope he's okay_.

"All right," he replied quietly. He turned away from Gaara and strode deliberately out of the room, fighting himself each step of the way, the desert garments forgotten on the floor.


	2. Chapter 2: Fools Like Us

Gaara sat down at his desk, closing his eyes. He let out a long, shaky sigh, fingers pressed against his temples. He mentally cursed Tsunade for sending Naruto on this particular mission; then, with a sweet flash of painful pleasure, he remembered how his heart had leapt at the sight of Naruto's smile, and silently thanked the Hokage, feeling a little guilty.

He shook his head abruptly to clear his thoughts and stood, fists tightening in resolve. He was the one who was weak, not Naruto. He loved being around Konoha's loudest ninja and knew Naruto enjoyed his company too; he couldn't let this new thing interfere with their friendship. Friendship was too mild a word, he decided, for his obligation to Naruto which he counted as important as his own life... because Naruto had saved his life. Before he met Naruto, before that day when a tear-streaked and exhausted blond boy had crawled toward Gaara on his belly - determined to defend his friends, yet weeping for Gaara, his enemy... before Naruto, it was worse than living in hell.

And now? It was almost like Shukaku had returned. Once again, Gaara was not the master of his own body, of his own thoughts. When he became Kazekage, his tenuous control of the tailed beast had morphed (by necessity) into iron bonds. His control could never slip, even in battle, because his own life was the least of the things he could lose. His own emotions had become his ultimate enemy.

Oh, he knew Shukaku was gone now. He knew this was something different. But he simply was not used to being out of control of his thoughts and feelings. Not anymore. And being out of control here would mean... acting upon the urges he had... the urges that were so overpowering, urges that ranged from a single caress to the desire to throw his friend down and ... what? _What_ did he want to do with Naruto, exactly? He knew that shinobi coupled. He knew what appendages went into which orifices, along with some of the unique physical challenges that went along with different kinds of lovemaking. It's just that... this was Naruto. Naruto was special. He couldn't picture himself talking about those things with his best friend, let alone trying them. What if Naruto went away? What would he do then? He could never forgive himself.

Gaara could count on one hand the people he had intentionally physically touched with his own hands during his life. Craving touch was new to him. Over the course of the last several months, he felt something tug at his insides when he saw couples hold hands or kiss. The same thing tugged at his insides when he thought about Naruto. On the rare occasions when they saw each other, it had become progressively harder to hide, as he had just demonstrated.

The desires he had were not the worst part, though. To some extent, his desire had to be normal. No, the worst part was that he felt so alone. As much as he loved his brother and sister, he hadn't been able to bring himself to confide in them on his newfound obsession. Gaara had learned, since the demon was gone, that he could bear just about anything - including death - if he felt he could confide in someone about it. That didn't mean he _wanted_ to talk about it or even that he ever _would_; just the fact that he felt he _could_, was enough. The trouble here was that he felt he couldn't talk to anyone about this particular interest. He was not only a Kage, but the youngest and arguably the most controversial Kage ever; he'd had enough trouble being taken seriously as it was, without letting personal information slip which could only set ridiculous rumors a-flying. And unquestionably, the person he felt safest around was Naruto. Thus, his dilemma.

He sat back down, then abruptly jumped up and began pacing. This would never do. If he could not concentrate on his work, he would head to the training grounds. That would burn off some of this nervous energy and restore his faith in his precious, precious control.

* * *

_Naruto's teeth bared in a snarl, eyes red, pupils mere slits. Gaara was not easily intimidated, but seeing Naruto like this - the feral fox, focused on the kill - made him shrink inside just a little._

_Outwardly, there was no sign of his feelings. The Kazekage stood in his customary pose, arms crossed, gaze unflinching. Sand rotated around him in slow, graceful waves._

_Naruto charged, speeding into a blur: "RASENGAN!" Faster than thought, the sand contracted into a living wall. Even through the sand, Gaara could feel the heat, the burn of Naruto's jutsu, and he was surprised. But the sand held. Then, unexpectedly, he felt a different warmth just behind his left ear - a warmth he recognized as breath, then the point of something cold against the flexible steel of his sand armor._

_"Gotcha, Gaara," Naruto growled. Gaara froze, a fiery tingling shooting to the base of his spine at the sound of Naruto's voice so close to him. The sand armor disintegrated. Gaara wondered vaguely why in all the hells the sand hadn't stopped Naruto...and then realized that it must be because Naruto was not a threat. Naruto just wanted to be close to him. His intrusion was welcome._

_In the blink of an eye, Gaara had deflected the kunai and hurled his friend to the ground. The sand helpfully cushioned their fall. Naruto responded to Gaara's new attack by shredding Gaara's thick Kage robes with his clawed hands even as Gaara destroyed the zippers and fasteners on Naruto's jacket and pants, assisted again by the ever-present sand._

_Growls tore open Gaara's own throat for a change. He pinned Naruto's wrists to his sides, attacking his throat and chest with hard kisses and harder bites. There was no fear, no shame in the eyes of the fox, only defiance and the excitement of the hunt. When Gaara fastened on a nipple, Naruto screeched and bucked wildly under the Kazekage, trying to force him off. Gaara backed off a bit but continued to punish Naruto's body with his hungry mouth and bold teeth ... and the lower he went, the more Naruto's bestial growls transformed into silky, deep-throated moans. By the time Gaara made it to the soft thicket of blond curls, licking now rather than biting, he discovered he had released Naruto's wrists. Naruto's hands fisted forcefully in the Kazekage's flame-red hair, a torch in the light of the setting sun; Gaara was clumsy and he choked and gagged, but managed to keep going when the blond shinobi thrust upward, helpless in the grip of his passion._

_"Gaara," Naruto sighed - and without warning, the tables turned: with a surge of muscle, the blond shinobi threw Gaara to one side, overwhelming the smaller man and trapping his wrists. Clawed fingers interlaced with Gaara's, and for a few brief moments Gaara felt the delicious friction of Naruto's golden skin._

_Still gripping Gaara's hands, Naruto shifted his weight until he could lick and nip at Gaara's sensitive length. Gaara gasped, losing all sense of down and up, left and right, time and space and orientation; he was aware only of the pure, raw sensation touching the insides of his insides, the core of his core. He felt himself being lifted, as if he weighed no more than a doll - and then slammed down again... impaled on something hard, wet, and warm. He screamed aloud, feeling like he was being torn apart, then screamed again as Naruto thrust upward, into him, into a place deep inside that hit like an electric shock of pure pleasure. Gaara's body jerked, his limbs out of his control. He was vaguely aware of being cradled in Naruto's warm arms, supported on his friend's warm lap, riding the waves of pain and pleasure, his erection sliding slickly against the soft skin of Naruto's belly. One muscular arm encircled Gaara's ribs, while the fingers of the other hand tenderly wove into Gaara's hair, forcing the Kazekage to look deep into his eyes... eyes that were once again as blue as the cloudless sky. "Gaara," Naruto whispered thickly, "I - I can't..." His eyes rolled upward in his skull, head snapping back in the loudest, longest scream Gaara had ever heard; his thrusts became spasms, hard and quick. Triggered by his own sensations as much as his partner's obvious display of pleasure, Gaara felt himself exploding, unfurling, consumed by shockwave after shockwave, on fire, burning..._

He jerked awake in absolute darkness. _Sand shell_, he realized. The front of his shorts was soaked in gooey warmth. The elation of the dream was quickly replaced by annoyance. _Just a dream_, he thought. It wasn't his first wet dream, but it was the first time he'd had one that was so detailed. Shukaku-induced insomnia gone, he was used to sleeping peacefully about half the time.

He reached out and brushed the inside of the shield with a single finger. He was absurdly touched by the sand's protection of him when there was no actual threat; that was something that happened very rarely. The darkness and warmth were welcome.

Finally, he dissolved the shield, letting in the cool silence of the night. He willed the sand back into the gourd. The moon was setting; the streets were quiet, but not silent. He got up to change, cleaning himself off in a cursory fashion with the old garment before tossing it in the basket. He wondered why he wasn't more embarrassed. Perhaps the desire had clouded his mind. Perhaps he was making mountains out of sand dunes. He lay back down, deep in thought. Like a dog worrying an old bone, his mind returned to the one overwhelming question: Could he talk to Naruto about any of this? His mind flashed back to the dream-image of Naruto's golden body in the sunset, the feel of his smooth flesh. Gaara blushed, grateful for the solace of darkness and solitude.

Could he ever have this in real life? Other people did; then again, his life had hardly been ordinary. And also - with Naruto? His best friend, his most precious person, the one responsible for his rise to Kazekage, for his desire to protect all of Suna and embrace them as family? If he just explained what he wanted to do... like any other proposal he made as Kazekage... if he kept it cool and clinical, would Naruto go away? Would he flee outright, or simply cover the awkwardness with a smile, then avoid Gaara forever?

Gaara shrank to think about being so alone, never sharing himself, never seeing that smile or hearing that laugh. Unthinkable. He would not risk it.

He'd once heard his sister remark that the quickest way to get over someone was someone else. What about someone other than Naruto?

But who?


	3. Chapter 3: Earth and Fire

Author's note:

**WARNINGS:** This story contains yaoi (male/male) sexuality, violence, and mature themes. Also, this chapter includes a scene of slightly dubious consent. If any of this bothers you, feel free to read something else. :) For the rest of you... I hope you enjoy! Happy new year (almost)!

* * *

Naruto fidgeted, shifting from foot to foot. He knew it would do nothing to help the heat, but he couldn't just stand still, even though his teammates were relatively quiescent as they awaited their orders. In the short few hours he'd taken to get used to Suna shinobi garments, he'd learned that Gaara was absolutely right about the under-layer… and the headdress.

_Gaara,_ he thought. _Why is it always Gaara?_ His mind drifted to another time he'd said those words, screamed them aloud. He'd been insane then, he decided, insane with grief over having lost his best friend, especially after Gaara had changed his life so completely in order to become a good leader… after all that, to die at the hands of some stupid jerks who cared only for the tailed beast that had been the absolute bane of Gaara's existence… it was just too much. But insane or not, he'd meant every word, and for every tear he'd shed over the lifeless body he'd shed a thousand more inside. He knew the absolute loneliness of being a jinchuriki, and the absolute joy that came from having that loneliness turned into warmth and companionship. It wasn't something anyone else could understand.

His mind twisted away from that terrible day. The shock on Gaara's face when he awoke, his expression, as if he'd been saved from the clutches of Hell itself … it wasn't something Naruto wanted to think about long. What mattered is that Gaara was here now, Naruto decided firmly. But why did the redhead seem to always have something up his sleeve? The few times they'd come into contact with each other, it was as if Gaara almost had a different personality each time. At first he'd been cold and homicidal, next time a combination of an invalid and gracious and caring leader, then this last time – a nervous wreck! Something, _something_ hadn't been right his first day here. Gaara had seemed so happy to see him and then he'd changed. And Naruto still hadn't had a chance to ask him what was really going on. He was a pretty bold person, but they'd also kept him pretty busy.

"All right." The mission leader's voice was quiet, but it carried. Everyone went absolutely still and faced forward. "You've been briefed already. We've just received word that the target is to the west. I don't have to tell you to be extremely cautious." There were nods and murmurs of assent. "Eight of our best have been taken down by this… thing, whatever it is." He jerked his head. "Uzumaki, I need you in front, please."

"Yes sir," Naruto snapped brightly and joined the commander. He was proud to be out in front. Whatever it was, he was confident he could fry it with a well-placed Rasengan – assuming he was allowed to get close enough. That wasn't in the plan, of course, but who knew what might happen? He could feel Yamato's eyes on him, as well as Neji's Byakugan.

As they ran, Naruto reflected on what he knew. Small squads of patrolling shinobi had been felled by a menace no one could detect, much less identify. They were not killed, strangely enough, but were knocked out cold… all but one. There was always one left conscious, and that person returned to report the damage. The council had decided that whatever this person or thing was, it was likely some kind of spy, something meant to test the powers of the shinobi. Just before losing consciousness, one of the warriors – a battle-hardened sensory-type with a high rating of empathy – had reported feeling the greatest concentration of hatred he had ever sensed from anyone or anything. Thus the presence of Naruto: someone had remembered the connection between hatred and the nine-tailed fox. They knew it was risky to involve him since the menace was unknown. Neither Tsunade nor Gaara had liked the idea the least bit, but Naruto – being Naruto – was intrigued and, as usual, had argued to be allowed to join the fight. Of course, the fact that it would put him in close proximity to Gaara again couldn't have anything to do with his desire to visit Suna.

After what seemed like hours of running through the sand, the company halted. They had almost-literally stumbled across three bodies, a good mile from where the last sentries had been posted. Of course, they then discovered that these were not dead bodies, but –

"Still alive," the commander announced grimly. Six warriors hastened forward to carry the fallen back to the medical corps at the rear. The commander drew a kunai and stared around them grimly.

Suddenly, there was a loud cry to Naruto's left, which was abruptly cut off. At the same time he felt it: in the damp prison inside his soul, the fox growled and lashed his tails, teeth bared. Without thinking about it, Naruto's eyes canted to the left. "Neji!" he screamed, hurling a kunai in the direction he sensed.

The two of them worked together in deadly choreography. It was immediately clear that Neji's Byakugan couldn't see the attacker clearly, and neither was Naruto's fox-sense entirely accurate, but between the both of them they managed to hit the thing: one of Neji's kunai drew blood.

Having a visual target, Yamato struck out with Wood Style and several sand shinobi joined in with mid-range weaponry and jutsu. To Naruto's astonishment, though, any shinobi that got too close was immediately rendered unconscious, and the thing seemed to dodge the attacks with amazing accuracy – even slipping around Yamato's branches. _It's reading our goddamned minds, _Naruto thought with frustration. He had been carefully instructed to stay back since most of his attacks were close-range, but that didn't stop him from joining his kunai with the others'.

A sudden sandstorm blew up right next to that elusive splash of blood, and then coalesced around it, revealing a human form. The sand continued to pour in and contract … and then was suddenly blown off, as if by a bomb. There was a deafening roar, and simultaneously, several more shinobi collapsed. The commander stepped forward with a blistering oath and slammed his hands into the earth.

And all hell broke loose.

* * *

"GY-AAAAAH! GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Gaara felt several rapid-fire blows to the sand shield – annoying, but not enough to crack it.

"Calm DOWN, Naruto! It's just my sand. And we can't leave yet."

Gaara heard Naruto's sharp intake of breath at the sound of his voice. "Gaara?"

"Who else?" Gaara asked wryly.

"Wh-what happened? Where are we?"

"The enemy struck you and knocked you out… I think. And then my captain blew up half the countryside, from the feel of it."

"Blew up – what do you mean? Where ARE we?" Gaara heard the panic re-entering Naruto's voice. _Funny,_ Gaara thought. _I never knew he was claustrophobic._ "We're inside my sand shield," Gaara said. "When I said he blew up half the countryside, I meant it. He's an Earth Style user. But it seems the enemy got him."

"So we're underground, then?" Naruto's voice was quieter, almost resigned. Gaara heard him sit down on the ground, then jump up rapidly. "HEY! I could bust us out of here –"

"You can't, Naruto," Gaara replied wearily. "The only reason we're not crushed right now is my sand. My people know we're down here. We're just going to have to wait."

"Oh." Naruto all but collapsed in disappointment. "How can you be sure they know where we are?"

"My sand," Gaara said simply.

"Your sand is up there too?" Naruto sounded astonished.

"Some of it is," Gaara explained. "From what I can tell, my sand is much like your shadow clones. I know what the sand knows. I can feel the pressure of the rocks and dirt on us, and I can… hear what they're saying up there. The commander was incapacitated after he performed his jutsu, but they'll get us out soon enough. They have another Earth Style user on the way."

"Gaara," Naruto said – and Gaara could hear that edge of panic creeping back in. "How – how do you know we won't run out of air? I feel like I – can't breathe."

"Try to calm down." Without really thinking about it, Gaara reached out, and felt what he assumed was Naruto's shoulder. "There is plenty of air. The rocks above us are… broken up. It's not a solid wall. Even my sand shield isn't airtight. It just feels that way."

"It feels –" Naruto began to pant slightly. "It feels like I – I can't get enough air –"

A series of images flashed in Gaara's mind: a small farming village; a spooked horse; a lady stepping in to hold the horse's head, stroking its neck, murmuring soothing words near its ear. Gaara felt around and located his friend's other shoulder, then shifted his weight onto his knees so he could embrace Naruto fully. He instantly received a faceful of spiky hair, and moved his head until he felt his lips graze the shell of an ear. "Naruto," he whispered. "Slow down your breathing. There is plenty of air. I promise. Do you trust me?"

In spite of himself, Naruto shivered, feeling Gaara's voice down at the base of his spine. _Gaara wouldn't lie to me,_ he thought, somewhat irrationally. _He's the Kazekage._ "Yes," he panted.

"Then hear my words. We will not suffocate. I have been inside this shield many times, under considerably more pressure than this."

Naruto gulped and nodded. He had a fleeting thought that he should be struggling out of Gaara's grip, but somehow he didn't want to. Gaara felt warm, and … sturdy. Grounded. Like the earth itself.

"Trust me."

Naruto inhaled deeply. He smelled dust, dirt, something explosive… almost like a firecracker… and below that, the tang of sweat, and something sweetly spicy. Like cinnamon, almost. He inhaled again and realized the spicy smell clung to Gaara's hair. Still dizzy, he concentrated on just that smell, and started to feel a little better.

At the same time, Gaara's heart rate was speeding up. Now that he knew they were both safe, relatively unharmed, and that they would be down here for … quite a while … his thoughts were racing. He could smell Naruto's fear, his adrenaline-soaked sweat, hear his still-harsh breathing, and feel his pounding pulse.

Hesitantly, lightly, hands almost trembling, Gaara began to stroke Naruto's back. "It's all right," he murmured over and over. "It's all right, we're safe, it's all right…" Hearing Naruto's breathing slow down a bit more, Gaara ran his fingers over the blond shinobi's spiky hair, continuing down the side of his face. His motions were slow and repetitive. He realized that he had somehow shifted from holding Naruto against his body, to sitting almost face to face with him. As he touched him, Gaara felt Naruto's head tilt gradually up and back, almost like a cat inviting him to scratch under his chin.

The vulnerability of his friend's neck, the absolute darkness, the sound of Naruto's shuddering breaths, were suddenly too much for Gaara. The predator inside him – no longer Shukaku, but his own lust, mixed with a desperate love and longing – hissed at him that _now _was the time to go for the kill, to take what he wanted. A low growl issued from the Kazekage's throat. One hand fisted in Naruto's spiky locks, pulling his head back even farther, while the other snaked around Naruto's ribs to draw him as close as humanly possible to Gaara's pounding heart. His teeth found Naruto's pulse; the blonde's surprised gasp only encouraged him, and he sucked greedily at the tender flesh. Naruto moaned and twisted; his hands flew to the back of Gaara's head, but didn't try to push Gaara away. Further encouraged, the redhead used his grip on Naruto's hair to guide the blonde's gasping, whimpering mouth to Gaara's own. He licked hungrily, impatiently, at the other shinobi's lips; when Naruto opened up – to cry out or to breathe, Gaara wasn't sure – Gaara eagerly dived in. Their tongues locked as if in battle, teeth clicking together. Naruto's grip tightened on Gaara's hair, not to pull the redhead away, but to pull him closer. He was still breathing hard, but (to Gaara's relief) he seemed to be enjoying himself, if his whispery moans were any indication.

Gaara felt as if he were melting and drowning at the same time. Naruto's tongue and lips were so warm, so wet and slick – the taste of battle and fear so strong – the blond shinobi's body so close – the heat between them made Gaara think of shimmering, dancing waves in the baking desert sand. _How am I not on fire? _he wondered vaguely. His body was screaming at him; his skin – all of his skin – thirsted for his precious blonde. He could not hold enough, could not touch enough, could not taste enough to keep up with his desire.

Naruto pulled back just a little. "Gaara," he growled. "Aaah…" For the Kazekage's hands were not idle. Gaara grabbed both layers of Naruto's desert robes, tugging them over his head and yanking Naruto's arms upward, and then sunk his slender fingers into the mesh shirt that Naruto had apparently insisted on wearing as well. He gave a hard yank. The mesh did not rip completely. Groaning in frustration, he attacked the fabric with hands and teeth. He was tugging impatiently at the drawstring of Naruto's shorts when he felt hands pulling tentatively at his own clothing. He sat back on his heels and quickly stripped himself down to his own shorts before going back to work on Naruto.

Meanwhile, the blond shinobi helpfully untied the string, allowing Gaara to pull the shorts down around his knees. He caressed Gaara's smooth back, marveling at the softness of the skin and the strength of the lean muscles beneath. Then he gasped and forgot everything else when Gaara's mouth returned to his heated flesh.

Naruto was moving on a wave of sensations – the pain of the rocks digging into his back and legs; the warm, hard strength of his friend's arms around him; the intense pleasure of Gaara's insistent tongue and gentle teeth. Gradually – as if in a dream, or underwater – he became aware of a strange sound; one that persisted and grew stronger. With a snap, he realized what it was… and that both of them were about to be in a _very _awkward situation.

"Gaara," he moaned huskily. Gaara did not stop; if anything, his pace increased. "Hey – G-Gaara!" With a monumental effort, he drew himself back from the Kazekage's very warm and insistent mouth.

The knowledge that Naruto was trying to tell him something finally penetrated Gaara's lust-fogged brain. He sat up, taking a deep breath. "What is it?" he rasped.

"They're coming," Naruto panted. "I think I hear digging."

Gaara paused. He heard what Naruto was talking about: not traditional digging using shovels, but the careful shifting of the ground by the earth-style shinobi. Since Neji was unavailable, the Suna shinobi wasn't sure exactly where his Kazekage was buried, and so was being very deliberate in his work.

Gaara drew a deep, shuddering breath. "I hate to say it," he began quietly, "but we should get dressed."

Naruto instinctively nodded, then remembered Gaara couldn't see him and replied aloud, "Okay." He stood carefully on shaky legs, pulled his shorts back up, and re-tied them. He was just wondering how he was going to locate the rest of his clothes when he felt Gaara push them gently into his chest. "Thanks." He found the neck-hole, and after a few more seconds, determined which side was the front. He briefly considered separating the outer and inner robes and donning them one at a time, then decided that they were stuck together so firmly that he could probably just slip them both on at once. He fingered the remains of his mesh shirt clinging to his arms before allowing it to slide off. There would be no saving it. As he struggled back into the still-unfamiliar robes, he thought to himself: _What the hell just happened?_

Gaara pulled on his own clothes quickly and quietly, his mind in turmoil. His emotions teetered wildly from elation, to annoyance, to consternation, to concern. As the Kazekage, he felt incredibly guilty for taking his attention off his people after a battle, even if there was nothing he could do for them at that moment (the menace had been dealt with, at least temporarily). As a man in love – he blinked. In love? … yes, he was, wasn't he? – he was ecstatic that he had made his wishes known, and that his advances had not been rejected. He was thrilled about the possibilities the future might hold. He was extremely irritated that their tryst had been interrupted, even though rationally he could hardly blame his people for coming to the rescue as quickly as possible. Finally, as a friend, he worried that he had upset Naruto. In the heat of the moment, he hadn't stopped to think that his friend might consider his attention unwanted… even somewhat of an assault – especially considering Naruto's vulnerable state of mind from the close quarters. And just because Naruto hadn't stopped him, didn't mean he welcomed Gaara's advances. Gaara sighed heavily. In all his thoughts and dreams – and there had been many_ – _he had never imagined that _this _would be the way he would inform his best friend of his desires.

He could feel the pressure above them lessening. Quickly, he turned toward Naruto; his friend had stopped rustling, which must mean he was finished getting dressed. "Naruto?" he queried tentatively.

"Yeah – I'm here," Naruto said. He sounded distracted, maybe even annoyed.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine now." Naruto sighed. "They're almost here, aren't they?"

"Just a few more minutes." Gaara kept his tone neutral, but his mind was once again in overdrive. Was Naruto "fine" now that he was about to be rescued from the dark, enclosed space? Or "fine" now that Gaara had stopped his advances? Gaara thought again of how his best friend had moaned and writhed beneath him, and shivered.

"Gaara." Now the blonde's tone was definitely more somber. "What just happened here?"

"Naruto…" Gaara swallowed hard. "I'm sorry I never told you." He was even sorrier that there was no light; he couldn't read his friend's expression, couldn't tell what he should do, how much he should disclose. _What the hell, _he decided miserably. _This can't get much worse. _"I've been – I've had … thoughts about you for a while now. I meant to discuss it with you first. I didn't mean to do it like th–"

"I know _that_," Naruto said with a touch of asperity in his voice. "You may be the Kazekage, but I don't think you could have planned this!" He gestured around them, then paused, remembering they were still in the dark. "The cave-in, I mean. And I'm so glad your sand was there. You saved me."

Gaara read between the lines. _Glad you saved me. Not glad you practically raped me. _

His heart sank.

"Naruto," he replied, his voice heavy. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Gaara," Naruto said, and Gaara could hear the sincerity in his tone. "Really. It wasn't – wasn't bad. It felt good. Really good! It was just – I just didn't expect it. You know? We're both guys. I never thought…" He trailed off.

"Naruto," Gaara breathed. He had to hurry; the time for conversation was almost over. "If you don't want – if you are not interested, I can – this doesn't have to continue. Things can be like they were before." He could hear the desperation in his own voice, but he couldn't control it. "I can't afford to lose your friendship." He paused. "I would rather die again."

Naruto gasped. "Gaara, don't say that!"

"It's true." Gaara looked up. He could feel the movement of the earth over the sand just above them. "Naruto, we will have to finish this conversation another time. I only ask – no matter what else happens… please promise me that you won't go away." He realized there were tears leaking from his eyes, and angrily swiped at them with his hand. "Please – don't stop being my friend just because I made a mistake." He was begging, he realized. The Kazekage was begging. But he was too upset to feel ashamed. More than anything, he wanted to touch Naruto again – to hug him, or reach for his hand.

"Gaara, I would never," and now there was genuine regret in Naruto's tone. "You're one of my precious people, believe it! And _of course _we have to stay friends, because I'll be Hokage someday and we'll have all those boring conferences and meetings and stuff and we'll have to take breaks and none of the other Kages like ramen..." Naruto knew he was babbling but couldn't stop himself. "Just – don't worry about anything, okay? We have to deal with this jerk who's been attacking your village and – we have a job to do," Naruto finished firmly. "There will be time to talk later."

_I hope so, _Gaara thought. Things didn't look good, but at least he had Naruto's word that their friendship would continue. He clung to that thought, trying to seal his bleeding heart.

His shinobi were just outside now. His heart lifted as he prepared to dissolve his sand. He would be glad to see them, to know that they were all right. They were what was most important. His personal dilemmas could wait.


	4. Chapter 4: Subdued

_Author's note: _Sorry for the lack of romance in this chapter. I promise I will make up for it later!

* * *

Studiously ignoring the layers of sweat, dust, and sand coating everything, Gaara managed to pull off his robes and change into the Kage robes without getting too much dirtier. His mind was racing ahead to the imminent meeting with his advisors.

What he'd learned on the journey back to Sunagakure was not encouraging. The unknown assailant turned out to be a low-ranking Suna politician named Siraii who had gone missing several months ago. He'd been involved in no scandals and was not a shinobi (and therefore had no missions), so Gaara remembered his disappearance causing quite a stir. Siraii had no spouse or children, either, and yet he wasn't the kind of man who would just leave on a moment's notice without telling anyone – much less stay gone for as long as he had. Eventually the Suna authorities had stopped actively searching for him, but he remained listed as a missing person.

The aspects of the situation which had alarmed Gaara most were twofold: one, Siraii seemed to have no memory of anything that had happened since he'd left Suna (although his best interrogators were even now determining the truth of that statement); and two, since the man wasn't a shinobi, he literally wasn't capable of doing the things that he'd done. Even the most cursory scan from Neji's Byakugan could determine that.

Gaara sighed. He was joined by Kankuro and Temari as he proceeded to the council chambers. The three of them caught each other's eyes just once before the two elder siblings opened the doors for Gaara's entrance. In spite of everything, Gaara felt his spirits lift just a little. His family was with him.

His heart jumped into his throat when he saw a familiar head of spiky blond hair at the table. _What the hell is he doing here? _Gaara thought almost angrily.

Of course, he was then immediately angrier with himself. Now was not the time to get distracted.

* * *

After the formalities had been dispensed with, there was a moment or two of awkward silence. "Kazekage-sama," began an esteemed elder, "if I may be so bold, why is the leaf shinobi –"

"Honored elder," Kankuro interjected in as soothing a tone as he could manage, "we are aware this is highly irregular. The Konohan is here because the commander believed he would have unique insight into the… source of the trouble."

"Thank you, Kankuro-san," the elder responded adroitly.

"Where are the interrogators?" Gaara asked quietly. "They should report first."

"They will be here shortly," Temari replied.

"And the security chief?"

As if on cue, the chamber doors opened again and the interrogation team, the head of security, and the commander strode in – limped in, in the latter's case. Wondering why under the sun the commander hadn't sought out a healer, Gaara asked for his report.

"Kazekage-sama," the commander nodded, "I am afraid we are almost no farther now than we were when he began. We do not know where Siraii-san has been all this time, and we do not know why he was attacking."

"Are we sure he was the one attacking?" Gaara asked wryly. No one responded. Gaara's brows arched upward. "Well?"

"Gaara," Naruto said hesitantly, eyes downcast, "it was him."

"How can you be sure, Naruto?" Kankuro jumped in. "No offense, but you only saw this man for the first time today."

Naruto's eyes remained focused on the table in front of them, as though he were too shy to look Gaara in the eye. Gaara experienced just a moment of anguish, wondering if he'd caused this, too; then common sense reasserted itself. They were talking about something very serious. Naruto was bound to be more restrained than usual. "Go on, Naruto," Gaara urged him quietly.

One of the interrogators broke in. "The Konohan was present while we were questioning Siraii-san," he recounted almost pleasantly. "Naruto identified Siraii-san's presence as the same one he felt on the battlefield."

"It was the fox," Naruto corrected, looking up for the first time. He looked not at the interrogator, but straight at Gaara. The Kazekage saw Naruto's troubled expression, those beloved blue eyes filled with pain; his breath caught in his throat for just a moment. "The fox knew. It was different, weaker somehow, but the presence – the hate – was the same."

"Unfortunately," the interrogator continued as though Naruto hadn't spoken, "no one else was able to verify what Naruto-san was sensing."

"Neji couldn't tell, either," Naruto affirmed. "And he couldn't figure out why the guy was invisible at first."

"In that case," Temari intervened, "Siraii-san must have been working with someone else."

"I'm not sure," Naruto argued. His expression was beginning to take on its customary animation now. Even the most somber mood could only keep him down for so long, Gaara thought with amusement. "From what the fox was feeling… it's more like … this guy was being used somehow. Manipulated." Naruto's brows knitted.

Kankuro gasped. "You mean, like a puppet?"

"Yeah," Naruto replied. "But the fox couldn't tell who the puppeteer was."

A leaden silence followed that statement. Kankuro traded glances with his brother; the Kazekage gave a subtle nod.

"Thank you, Naruto-san," Kankuro intoned, extending a hand as he stepped toward Naruto. "We will take you to your quarters now."

For once, Naruto did not protest, but merely nodded and followed Kankuro out the chamber doors. He did not so much as glance at Gaara on his way out, a fact that caused Gaara more pain than any physical discomfort he had experienced that day.

Once Kankuro had returned, the conversation continued. "Have we learned anything of value from Siraii-san? Anything at all?" Gaara tried to keep the edge out of his voice.

"Yes," the head interrogator spoke up. "We did learn one important thing, actually." He paused. "It seems we are in no more immediate danger from him."

"And why is that?" Gaara asked. He had rarely seen the man so troubled.

"He's dead."

The room erupted into questions. Gaara stood, raising both hands for silence. When order was somewhat restored, he asked simply, "How?"

"Kazekage-sama, our apologies for holding back this information," the head interrogator continued. "We did not want to go into full detail in front of Naruto-san. The man we took into custody was not Siraii-san, but someone - or some_thing_ - else. Once Naiobi-san" - he gestured to the other interrogator - "broke through the impostor's defenses, we gleaned from his mind a single image of the real Siraii being murdered by an unknown assailant, before the impostor somehow committed suicide. Upon dying, his body changed – the skin turned pure white and Siraii's features disappeared."

Kankuro's face had lost most of its color under the makeup. "That doesn't sound like a puppet," he whispered to Gaara.

"A substitution," Gaara stated. "One that was able to fool a Byakugan?"

"Apparently so."

"Hmm." Gaara used his tried-and-true tactic of maintaining silence to see if anyone would volunteer more information. When nothing was forthcoming, he asked, "Have the medic-nin analyzed the body?"

"Not yet, sir," Naiobi answered. "For the time being, the body is being both sealed and guarded. I'm not convinced it's – well, human."

Gaara nodded, thinking quickly. "All right. Tomorrow, we will try to get some answers. Tonight, I feel we are all due for rest and relaxation. Even the stoutest warrior can accomplish nothing without sleep."

"Gaara, what about the festivities tonight?" Temari asked quietly. "I'm sure everyone would understand if we asked the village to delay a few more days. We've been dealing with a severe threat here."

"No," Gaara intoned after a moment's deliberation. "We deal with threats constantly; I believe it would cause more harm than good to deny our people their celebration." He smiled wryly. "We've done battle and no lives were lost. We must be thankful." For just the slightest instant, he allowed himself to imagine Naruto, relaxed and smiling, hands clapping along to the drums; whether he chose to dance or not, Naruto would never be the wallflower at any party.

Gaara took a quick poll of the faces in the room. He knew the elders and advisors would go along with whatever decision he made on this matter, but he could tell he'd made the right one. "Tonight," he said decisively, quoting some long-dead desert poet, "Suna's walls will quake not with fear, but with happiness."


	5. Chapter 5: Come to the Dance

"Yamato-sempai," Naruto said with a start, "what is _that?" _

Pounding, pulsing rhythm shook his entire body, from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. If he didn't know better, he would have thought there was a minor earthquake going on, or some kind of attack.

Yamato turned toward the window. "It's starting," he said quietly.

"What's starting?"

"The drums," a voice remarked from the hall. Naruto turned to see Neji 's lean frame propped against the doorway. "This must be the celebration they were talking about earlier."

"It's a Suna tradition," Yamato smiled. "Every so often the whole city just gives itself up to celebration. There was a legendary celebration, in the time of the second Kazekage, which lasted eight days."

"Eight… days?" Naruto queried. He was never one to turn down a party, but that was a bit much.

"Don't worry," Yamato replied, shaking his head. "This won't be like that … I don't think. They were celebrating a major victory back then. This one is relatively minor."

"It seems," Neji broke in, "when Suna warriors do battle and no lives are lost, they do this to give thanks."

"Ah." Naruto frowned. "But, doesn't that happen pretty often?"

Yamato chuckled. "They don't do it every time. To be honest, I'm not sure why they celebrate at some times and then not at others." He shrugged. "One thing I do know is that we are expected to attend. Even though we are technically outsiders, we've cooperated in battle, and that makes us welcome."

"Part of the brotherhood, huh," Naruto mused.

"Yup," Yamato replied absently. He was rummaging through a drawer on the other side of the room. "Here," and he tossed a bundle of cloth at Naruto. "Put these on." He threw another bundle of cloth at Neji, who caught it effortlessly.

Naruto felt a curious sense of déjà vu as he unfolded the clothes and held them up for inspection; there was a simple black shirt and a pair of dark pants with elaborate ties at the waist. "Thanks," he said. "I guess this is another Suna custom? Changing clothes for the party?"

"It's not strict," Yamato explained. "Just custom. These clothes will make it easier to move."

Naruto's eyes widened. "They spar?"

Yamato burst into laughter as he pulled his shirt over his head. Between chuckles, he replied, "No, Naruto, far from it. The freedom of movement is for dancing."

"Ah." Satisfied that he'd done well enough with the ties on the pants, Naruto yanked the shirt over his head. He tugged at the bottom hem, noticing that it seemed to ride a little high; he was sure his navel was almost showing. When he snuck glances at Yamato and Neji, he noticed their outfits were similar. "What's with these shirts?" he said quizzically. "All three of us look like Sai!"

"Don't exaggerate," Neji snapped, fixing Naruto with an evil glare.

Naruto glared back, then continued, "And the pants are way too loose."

"Relax, Naruto," Yamato smiled. "You don't have to wear it if you don't want to. But I'm warning you, even as cold as the desert gets at night, it's going to be very hot in there. You'll be thankful for the baggy pants. And many people don't even bother wearing a shirt."

Naruto considered that. He had no inherent body-modesty; he'd been more concerned about looking like an outsider. But if everyone else was going like this, he would too. Unbidden, the thought of the Kazekage shirtless popped into his head. He wondered whether Gaara looked as thin as he'd felt earlier, deep underground… wondered what color those nipples were, that his fingers had brushed in the darkness.

"Naruto? I said, are you ready?" Naruto turned to find Neji already departed and Yamato giving him a strange look from the doorway. "Come on," and he jerked his head toward the door. "Don't be shy."

"I'm not," Naruto muttered. He followed quickly, hoping no one had noticed his flaming cheeks.

* * *

The three Leaf shinobi had only to follow the sound of the drums. _And I thought they sounded loud back in our room,_ Naruto thought with a little apprehension. Some wild yelps also drifted past on the night air. From the sound of things, Suna knew how to throw a good party. "Yamato-sempai," Naruto queried, "how do you know so much about this stuff, anyway?"

"You mean, about Sunagakure's customs?"

Naruto nodded.

"This isn't my first time working with the Sand," Yamato replied staunchly. "Nor yours, either. All you have to do is listen and pay attention." He gave Naruto a pointed look. "Like any shinobi."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto griped. "Sorry. I guess I just thought it would be rude to ask about every little thing."

"In the past, it would have been," and Yamato's face was suddenly very solemn. "And when we did find out any details, we would inevitably try to exploit them. But Naruto, we're allies now. The more we try to understand each other, the better it will be all around."

"Shoes over there," Neji butted in, practically yelling over the noise. Through the open door, Naruto could make out the figures of a great many people moving and talking.

Naruto was suddenly eager to dive in and see what everyone was up to. He shucked off his shoes, tossed them in the general direction of a giant shoe-rack just outside the door, and darted inside just behind Neji.

The smell of food and drink, the thunderous volume of the drums, the wild cries and shouts and singing – all combined, hit Naruto like a slap to the face. After his eyes had adjusted to the dimmer light, the first thing that struck him was that almost _everyone _was dancing – men, women, children; grandmas and grandpas; shinobi and civilians. The people who were vainly trying to converse were clustered as far away from the drums as possible, but even they seemed not to be able to stay away from the dancing for long. Those that were not able-bodied had a front-row seat, and enthusiastically clapped along, shouting encouragement. The dance was varied, from people who merely shuffled from foot to foot, to others who whirled and leapt athletically into the air. He couldn't help smiling at some of the younger children, who were simply bouncing around energetically as if on pogo sticks.

The next thing he noticed was that the dancing looked different from what he'd seen and done in Konoha. Whether fast or slow, the movements were always graceful rather than frenetic. There was just as much emphasis on undulating the torso, arms, and hips as there was on moving the feet. It looked natural, graceful, and somehow sensual – though this definitely wasn't the type of dancing that Naruto would perform with his Sexy No Jutsu.

As he was trying to puzzle it out, a voice said in his ear, "Having a good time?"

He jumped a little and turned to find the Kazekage smiling at him. Then he took a step back, and his eyes widened.

Gaara's pale skin almost glowed in the subdued light. He had discarded his Kage robes for the simple shirt-and-pants combination favored by most of the men present. Like Naruto's, his shirt was a little too short. Helplessly, Naruto's eyes were drawn to the smooth strip of skin showing just below Gaara's navel.

Too late, he met the Kazekage's eyes to find them sparkling with amusement. "You're curious about the clothing?" Gaara asked, leaning close and speaking into Naruto's ear to make himself heard. Naruto nodded, not trusting his voice, glad for the noise which covered his sudden speechlessness. Something about Gaara's lips so close to his ear sent that same uncontrollable shiver down his spine as he'd felt earlier that day. Gaara appeared not to notice. He simply continued, "You will see the reason when you learn the basics. Come with me…"

He turned and stalked toward the periphery of the dancing crowd, never glancing back to see whether Naruto had followed him. Gaara was used to being obeyed, Naruto thought as he scampered after the Kazekage. When Gaara stopped and turned around, Naruto almost ran into him. Blushing furiously, he watched as Gaara demonstrated the basic steps, urging Naruto to follow him. Then he paused to show Naruto some of the quick, coordinated hip movements that were traditionally layered over the footwork. Now Naruto could appreciate the clothing which complemented the movement of the hips and made the motions easier to follow.

Breaking the pattern, Gaara stepped toward Naruto again. "It's going to feel strange to you at first," he half-shouted in Naruto's ear. "But this is part of keeping our warriors flexible and battle-ready. It's good for you."

Try as he might – and he did try – Naruto couldn't completely follow what Gaara was showing him. He felt like his hips were just jerking around randomly rather than following the graceful, circular patterns that Gaara was demonstrating. Then he blushed to the roots of his hair as he realized he'd just spent the past Kami-knew-how-long looking at another guy's hips and butt … and he blushed even more fiercely when he knew in his heart that he had actually not minded at all.

Seeing his friend's consternation, as well as the blushing (even with the dim light), Gaara slowed down a bit until he was sure Naruto could keep up. He smiled when he saw the technique begin to click somewhat and Naruto's face take on its customary "I'm concentrating" expression. Naruto's body was picking up these rhythms that were so foreign to him.

Suddenly, Gaara flashed back to the time when he was just beginning to notice other people's body language and expressions – when he was learning to care about others' feelings rather than just wanting to kill them. Of its own accord, his mind fast-forwarded to the first time he had joined in the dance with the rest of his people as a Kazekage proprely should, the looks of astonishment that others had tried to hide to see Gaara finally being human.

A loud whoop took Gaara back to the present. Glancing up, he noted a circle dance just beginning, the drums faster and more frenetic than ever. Without even thinking he grabbed Naruto's hand and hauled him across the room.

Naruto stumbled after Gaara, then found his feet quickly. Even through his embarrassment, he couldn't help feeling elated; he had never seen Gaara act so enthusiastic about anything before. Maybe his friend was back to normal now.

Gaara towed Naruto into the heart of the dance, joining the circle and clutching the hand of the person next to him. "You grab hands, and then lock your elbows upward, like this," Gaara shouted in Naruto's ear. "Now, follow along! RIGHT! LEFT! RIGHT! LEFT! FRONT! BACK! RIGHTLEFTRIGHTLEFT!" Thankfully, Naruto had little trouble with this dance, since it was all hopping and foot placement, with none of the intricate hip-work of before. Once he had mastered the simple pattern, he looked up at the ever-expanding circle of sweaty, joyous faces; at Gaara's in particular. The only good moods he'd seen Gaara display up till now had seemed to include battle-frenzy and placid calm … and rampant lust, if one could count that – Naruto's mind steered away from that particular place. Gaara full of lighthearted joy, Gaara leaping and dancing side by side with the people he would live and die for – this Gaara he didn't know. With a pang, he wondered if he'd ever see his best friend like this again, this full of energy and life.

_You could make him like that, _a small voice whispered inside his head. _You could see his face like that again. The way you couldn't see him earlier… in the dark. _

Instead of shutting off that voice, Naruto considered it. He thought about how happy Gaara looked, how it would be to see that smile, that lightness of expression, every day. Come to think of it, he'd never known Gaara to smile much at all ... unless he was interacting with Naruto.

_Was it so bad? _the voice in his mind continued. _What he did? What you did together? You liked how it felt..._

The circle dance was ending in a frenzy of ululations and applause; the drummers were calling for water. Before he could change his mind, Naruto grabbed Gaara by the shoulder. "Gaara," he said, leaning close to try to avoid being overheard, "can we talk later? After – all this is over?"

Gaara's expression took on some of its customary seriousness. "Certainly," he replied. "Come to my rooms tonight, whenever you're ready. My guards will tell you where to find me." Naruto nodded. With a brief, awkward pat on Gaara's shoulder, he broke away to try to find Yamato-sempai and Neji, trying to ignore the sinking-soaring sensation in his belly, trying not to think at all.


	6. Chapter 6: Burning Bright

Even when one didn't consider the sand armor, Gaara's face was often compared to a mask ….sometimes within Gaara's hearing, and sometimes not.

Secretly, Gaara prided himself on his ability to keep his emotions off his face; he thought of his "Kage mask" as hanging over the door to his inner chamber, a mask he put on every day before he stepped outside in his Kage robes.

It was also a mask he could take off when he was alone.

The desert cold had dried the sweat from the bodies of his guards; by the time they stopped at the door of his rooms, the men were beginning to shiver. Once Gaara was alone, he undressed quickly and concentrated on shifting the sand covering his body, mixing new, clean sand into his armor, refreshing his skin and scouring the sweat away. He felt the need to be clean. He felt the need to be… presentable.

Was this what it was like when someone was preparing for a date?

He swept that thought away. Naruto had said he wanted to talk. Not make out again. Not bare his golden skin to the soft lamplight, to Gaara's ravenous eyes; not allow Gaara to run slender fingers through his hair… all his hair…

No.

Talk.

Gaara paused. He had just reached for his Kage robes. That seemed a bit extreme. But to put on pajamas felt too vulnerable. And too focused on the bed. He wondered why in all the hells he hadn't suggested Uzumaki meet him in his office.

Except… except that thing. That one thing he couldn't crush in a Sand Coffin, nor bury in the desert wastelands. Hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, if they met in his bedchamber…

Gaara snorted. He told himself he was being ridiculous. He settled for a very light outer-robe and loose pants – something one might lounge around in, but wasn't considered underwear. Not too casual. Not too … vulnerable.

Right on cue, the knock came. Gaara paced to the heavey door and cracked it just enough to see the guard's face. "Kazekage-sama," the guard announced formally, "you have a visitor. Uzumaki Naruto. He says you're expecting him."

"Let him approach," Gaara replied just as formally. He was suddenly comforted by the weight of his position, by the protocol that went along with it. By the thought that Uzumaki would have more than just himself to answer to if he toyed with Gaara's emotions. If Gaara allowed his emotions to be toyed with.

In Gaara's bedchamber was a small writing desk and – conveniently – two chairs. Gaara gestured for Naruto to sit in one of the chairs as Gaara took the other. He was proud that his hands did not tremble.

Naruto leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees, head in hands. He sighed deeply and then – without saying a word – looked up at Gaara with those blue, blue eyes. As usual, Gaara maintained his composure. He also fortified his sand armor in a certain region so that no uncontrolled expansion would happen this time… no matter what.

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He reminded Gaara of a fish.

Finally, Gaara couldn't take it any longer. "What did you want to talk to me about?" he inquired as gently as he could. He tried to quiet his mind, keep his thoughts away from what Naruto was likely to say; from the one hope his friend was probably about to destroy.

"Gaara, I think I made a mistake," Naruto said somberly.

"We both did," the Kazekage replied. "My actions today will not be repeated. I assure you of that. But Naruto, I want a chance to explain myself." Naruto started to say something, but Gaara cut him off with a raised hand. "There was a certain point where I felt you were, ah, responding to me. In the heat of the moment, I thought what was happening was … the right course of action." Heat flooded Gaara's face. He was so grateful for the armor.

"No – it's not about that," and Naruto was blushing mightily. Gaara's eyes widened. Now he felt not only undignified and embarrassed, but also quite silly. Concentrating on Naruto again, he noticed that Naruto's expression had taken on a faraway look – as if he were trying to send a message to a distant land. "I mean, I think I made a mistake with what I said in your meeting earlier today. The fox keeps telling me something's not right about that guy we caught. The fox felt he was familiar. The fox also keeps saying he's not dead."

"Naruto," Gaara replied gently, "our intelligence agents discerned the same thing. Neji was very helpful in this, too. The – the attacker is both sealed and guarded; if he attempts to get out, we'll know."

Naruto nodded, looking down at the ground. He seemed relieved.

"But that's not all that's on your mind," Gaara guessed. "If your concerns about the attacker were so urgent, you wouldn't have waited this long to talk to me… would you?" He resisted the urge to touch Naruto's face, to place his fingers under his chin and meet that beautiful blue gaze.

"No wonder you're Kazekage," Naruto chuckled. "I think you could even outsmart Shikamaru."

"I just pay attention to what's around me," Gaara replied, unknowingly echoing Yamato's words from earlier in the evening. "It was a valuable skill I picked up when I was learning how not to want to kill people." He smiled.

"The truth is …" Naruto stopped. Without thinking about it, Gaara held his breath. "The truth is, I _did _want it. I loved it. I've – I've never felt anything so good." Summoning all his courage, Naruto looked into Gaara's eyes – sea-green, cool, calm … beautiful. "I haven't stopped thinking about it since. It's just that I didn't _expect_ it. I was so confused at the time. I thought that because it was so – so fast, and so rushed – that it was wrong. The only things that have ever happened to me that were quick like that, and unexpected – "

"– were ambushes by other shinobi," Gaara finished for him. "Of course. Your body and mind are used to fending off attacks."

"And I've never set my sights on a guy before. I mean, I've had thoughts," and he waved a hand dismissively, "but I've never followed through." He blushed, looking down again. "I know a lot of men that have, though."

Naruto looked so shy like this… so vulnerable. Gaara's hands clenched behind his back. The sand in his gourd, tucked safely in its corner for the moment, just began to rustle when he stopped it cold. There was no threat here. No threat. Only emotion. Only excitement. Only… hope.

Gaara turned away, clasping his hands in front of him this time. He swallowed, breathed deeply; then swallowed again. Why couldn't he speak? How was it he could face any enemy without fear, no matter how powerful; yet the thought of talking about this had him struggling for breath?

"And you," he rasped, finally finding his voice. He cleared his throat. "What about you, Naruto? Are you now giving some thought to… following through?" His eyes clenched shut; he couldn't bear to turn around. Behind him, he heard Naruto's weight shift, heard footsteps whisper across the floor, and wondered – heart pounding – whether his friend was about to walk past him and out the door, this time for good. He couldn't imagine what Naruto was thinking, what he wanted, what he felt – if he was capable of returning Gaara's feelings.

Naruto deliberately stepped in front of the Kazekage, facing him, and for the first time truly understanding the source of his distress. He gently pried Gaara's hands apart. Gaara's raccoon-black eyelids flew open in astonishment. Through the thin film of Gaara's tears, Naruto shimmered – his best friend – the only one he desired – eyes like the blue sky, hair like the sun – and Naruro smiled tenderly, and there was no fear in his eyes. No shame. No pain. No confusion.

Gaara blinked. At the moment his vision cleared, those blue eyes darkened, as if reflecting the night around them just a little more. Naruto's gaze narrowed, his lips parted – without knowing how he knew, without conscious thought at all, Gaara recognized that what he saw before him was nothing less than desire… the same desire that consumed Gaara's waking thoughts and dreams. He froze in place. _This can't be happening,_ he told himself.

Slowly, Naruto reached for Gaara's face, stroking the side of his cheek hesitantly, like a dog he wasn't sure would bite. Gaara's eyes closed and he leaned forward, submitting completely to Uzumaki's touch. He expelled a breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding, and when he inhaled again, he was surprised to feel another pair of lips against his own, so light he wasn't entirely sure they were there. His eyes opened for a split second – just long enough to see that what he was feeling was real. _Naruto._ Naruto's closed eyes, his long blond lashes, his whisker-marked cheek. Lighter than light, slower than slow, Gaara allowed his eyes to drift closed again as he melted into the kiss, savoring every detail, from the pounding of his own heart, to the taste of Uzumaki's breath, to the feeling of Naruto's hands sliding delicately down the sides of his neck. Those hands, warm and calloused, made their way to his shoulders, resting there briefly before slipping down to the small of Gaara's back. Naruto gently pulled Gaara closer, closer, tongue sliding deeper even as he drew Gaara's hips forward, pressing the hard strength of his arousal directly into the Kazekage's. He wanted Gaara to know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that he was wanted. That he was desired. That this was Naruto's choice.

Gaara's temperature was rising steadily. At first he'd been a block of ice, a statue, too scared of making a mistake that would cost him Uzumaki's friendship. But the longer they kissed, the longer they held each other, the stronger Naruto's grip became and the more ragged his breathing, the bolder Gaara grew. His resolve for ironclad self-control grew weaker, along with his fear of what might happen once this night was over. This was here; this was now. Naruto was in his arms – _his – _and they were together, alone, and Naruto wanted him.

Reluctantly, Gaara broke their kiss. Naruto opened his mouth as if to ask a question, but Gaara's fingertips just touched his lips in the universal gesture for silence. Never breaking his steady gaze into those blue, blue eyes, Gaara led Naruto slowly toward his bed. It took everything in him not to shove Naruto down forcefully and devour him. Instead, he placed a hand on his friend's chest and guided him until Naruto lay on his back. The Kazekage stood and removed his robe. The pants came off next. Gaara hadn't bothered with underwear.

And now there was nothing and no place to hide. Gaara resisted the urge to fidget, fought his fear of looking ridiculous, as his first lover appraised him. Naruto was surprisingly silent as he drank in the sight of Gaara's pale skin, glowing in the dim light; his normally blazing hair transmuted, a dark counterpoint; his eyes like fire.

As if in answer, Naruto sat up just enough to remove his shirt, grabbing the seams – and was stopped halfway through. Gaara straddled him, kissing him deeply but still gently. He broke the kiss only long enough to get the shirt over Naruto's head. Then Naruto's warm hands were on Gaara's back, on his sides, exploring the hard muscle and bone, while Gaara divested Naruto of his pants and shorts in one efficient motion (assisted by Naruto raising his hips). Keeping his weight on his knees, still straddling Naruto, Gaara leaned forward, his body covering Naruto's until he and his precious blonde were skin on skin, exulting in each other's warmth, kissing ravenously as though every moment here would be their last.

Until tonight, when he had time to actually enjoy it, Gaara had never known how utterly delicious touch could be. So simple, and yet it was everything. It was as if he had just returned from a long mission in the desert, so accustomed to being thirsty and dry that the first real, deep drink was a shock. He had imagined, only faintly, only through dreams and vicarious descriptions, what it was to crave, to want your lover's hands and mouth more than food, more than water, more than sleep. Now he _knew;_ knew with his flesh, with his whole being, why this act was so precious, why people would die and kill to taste this, to feel this … or for lack of this.

Gaara's kisses made their way downward, unconsciously replaying both his recent dream and their rushed experience earlier that day. All he could think of – when he could think at all – was that he wanted to give as much pleasure as he could to this, his most precious person, and anything else would be too … confusing. If they attempted intercourse, things would have to stop. If they stopped… he would die. He was utterly certain. He would die without this, without the consummation of this new love, of the burning in both their hearts.

Naruto, unfortunately, had the same idea. He was determined to see Gaara smile again – the way he had just a few minutes ago – to see Gaara lost in pleasure. Carefully, so Gaara would know what was coming, he lifted his right arm and leg and began to turn them both over. Gaara got the idea and allowed himself to be rolled over onto his back – though he still clung to Naruto as though his life depended on it.

Gaara gasped, a sudden shock of pain and pleasure together; Naruto had fastened his teeth on the join between Gaara's neck and shoulder, exactly as Gaara had done to him earlier today. He then licked at the spot – gently, apologetically. This only made Gaara writhe and groan until Naruto stopped, but the blonde's tongue was not idle. He continued down Gaara's body, down, taking note of every arch, every moan, every whimper, until he reached his erection which was literally weeping to be touched.

Gaara was nearly weeping too, but with happiness. It was obvious, again, that Naruto knew what he was doing, that he – Gaara – the Kazekage – was wanted, desired… even loved.

Once Naruto took him in his mouth, though, Gaara gasped and fought to keep from crying out. It was never so sensitive when he touched it himself, he thought dimly. He fought for control, shoving his forearm into his mouth to muffle the sound.

Naruto increased his pace, until one final lick up the underside of the shaft had Gaara arching off the bed, only barely managing not to scream. His orgasm seemed to go on and on. He was helpless to stop his body's contortions, which led to more contact with his lover's mouth. He was sensitive to the point of pain. It was as if he'd never climaxed before.

When he finally came to his senses, Naruto was lying beside him, stroking his chest and belly. Gaara noticed that Naruto was definitely still in a state of arousal, and he reached out a shaking hand to try to take care of that when he was stopped by his lover's calloused grip around his wrist. Still looking into Gaara's eyes, Naruto sensuously licked and sucked each of the Kazekage's fingers in turn, running his tongue over the tender palm as well. Gaara moaned softly and squirmed; unlike most shinobi, he wielded no weapons to callous his hands, and he'd never known how sensitive they could be.

Soon Naruto guided the Kazekage's hand down on its original journey, and Gaara – weakened though he still felt – was able to savor the sights and sounds of his lover's passion as Gaara stroked Naruto to his own delicious peak – it was far too quick for Gaara's liking, but the feral growl that escaped the fox-boy's lips made it well worth it. Gaara tasted the come out of curiosity. It wasn't bad, just a strange flavor, different from his own, which he'd sampled from time to time. He supposed every man was different. He licked some off his own hand and off Naruto's belly and groin and received a tired, panting smile in return. He could get used to this, he thought as he pulled a blanket over both of them to protect them from the desert cold. He definitely could.


End file.
